Biographien

'Totally gripping'-- Simon Sebag Montefiore Pilecki is perhaps one of the greatest unsung heroes of the second world war ... this insightful book is likely to be the definitive version of this extraordinary life -- EconomistWould you sacrifice yourself to save thousands of others?In the Summer of 1940, after the Nazi occupation of Poland, an underground operative called Witold Pilecki accepted a mission to uncover the fate of thousands of people being interned at a new concentration camp on the border of the Reich. His mission was to report on Nazi crimes and raise a secret army to stage an uprising. The name of the detention centre -- Auschwitz.It was only after arriving at the camp that he started to discover the Nazi s terrifying plans. Over the next two and half years, Witold forged an underground army that smuggled evidence of Nazi atrocities out of Auschwitz. His reports from the camp were to shape the Allies response to the Holocaust - yet his story was all but forgotten for decades. This is the first major account to draw on unpublished family papers, newly released archival documents and exclusive interviews with surviving resistance fighters to show how he brought the fight to the Nazis at the heart of their evil designs.The result is an enthralling story of resistance and heroism against the most horrific circumstances, and one man s attempt to change the course of history.

Known from his collaboration on the Netflix documentary Age of Samurai, historian William de Lange returns to what he does best: highly anecdotal stories from one of the most exciting episodes in Japanese history: the Warring States period.De Lange takes the reader right back to the 16th century's closing decades. In the course of the ensuing journey we witness the major battles fought by the country's three great unifiers: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.Quoting directly and at length from a wide range of contemporary sources, De Lange paints events and figures like no other, 'so richly rendered,' according to one critic, 'that you'd swear De Lange was present at the time, taking notes.'Samurai Battles is an epic account of a dramatic period in Japanese history-a period in which the whole country was consumed by the fire of civil strife that raged hardest on the field of battle.

Growing up loving to hunt, Bruce LaChance decided to seek his greatest adventure yet: to hunt a giant brown bear on his own. What followed was a tale not only of adventure but of tragedy and redemption through faith.On leave from his US Navy base on Kodiak Island, twenty-year-old LaChance set out in late September 1964 for the extreme danger of the Alaskan wilderness. He struggled alone for nearly two weeks, during which he lost thirty pounds and an inch in height. Along the way, he never lost faith in himself, however. Later in life, he would again find himself lost but in a different kind of wilderness, though one every bit as deadly--that of alcoholism. Only through belief in a Higher Power was he able to survive both wildernesses, and in so doing, find contentment, faith, and true love.Lost and Found in Alaska: A True Story of Survival and Miracles on Kodiak Island...and Elsewhere will help every reader become aware of his or her Higher Power. That Power resides within them, and always has, and if they are willing to surrender to it, they can find serenity.

The Evidence of Things Not Seen is the W.H. Murray's award-winning autobiography. Murray recounts his extraordinary life, from his involvement in WWII to exploratory climbs in the Himalaya.

No one expected the San Francisco 49ers to be in the 2019 Super Bowl. This book tells the gripping story of a a bunch of humble, hard-working and tough-minded overachievers who came together to form a brutal defense and explosive offense, through a 13-3 season and an astounding playoff run.A collective of eight 49ers sportswriters looks at the team's history, roster building, offensive and defensive schemes, and the many characters and stories that these season featured. Nick Bosa planting the flag in Cleveland and skidding on his belly across a soggy Washington field. Kwon Alexander's dominating linebacker play, his torn pectoral muscle and "Legendary" recovery. Raheem Mostert's rise from a punt returner discarded by 6 teams to a dominating running back who gained 220 yards in a single playoff game. Cornerback Richard Sherman's return to his future Hall of Fame form, as he led a group of unknown defensive backs to form the the most dominant secondary in the NFL. Rookie Dre Greenlaw's heroics in both games against Seattle, intercepting Russell Wilson in overtime, then stoning tight end Jacob Hollister at the goal line on 4th down to win first seed in the playoffs. Playoff dominance, leading 27-0 against Green Bay at halftime of the NFC Championship Game, and rushing the Minnesota with six sacks on Kirk Cousins, who had been sacked only 26 times in the previous 16 games.The stories are epic, funny, and unexpected. The 2019 49ers took a wild ride that fans will want to revisit again and again over the years. This book takes you along on that ride.

Giuseppe Garibaldi was praised for his military genius, his courage, and his charisma. In this landmark biography, Christopher Hibbert reveals how this iconic figure and architect of Italian unification earned the adulation of not only his fellow Italians, but people across the globe.

The son of white captive Cynthia Ann Parker, Quanah Parker rose from able warrior to tribal leader on the Comanche reservation. In this crisp and readable biography, William Hagan presents a well-balanced portrait of Quanah Parker, the chief, and Quanah, the man torn between two worlds.

**A Sunday Times Book of the Year**The closest you'll ever get to the most infamous drug kingpin in modern history, told by the person who stood by his sideThe story of Pablo Escobar, one of the wealthiest, powerful and violent criminals of all time has fascinated the world.